AN: Just something I had on my mind :) I hope the format is better now...I have no idea what happened the last time^^
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Rage was all that occupied her mind, when Leah stormed away from Sam's house. She just couldn't take all the happiness and love everybody seemed to be emitting.
She knew, that she was acting childish and without any reason. She was also pretty sure, that Emily was crying right now in the kitchen because of her harsh words. But she just couldn't help it this time. Why was she the only one without a mate, was it really that hard for fate to let her imprint. She didn't even care at that point, who fate would choose for her, if it would only choose at all.
Her angry steps carried her into the woods, but not even the dim green light and the fresh scents could calm her today. She just kept on walking, not caring where she was going and not noticing that she already had passed the treaty line. Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own and that was when she heard the crying. It was by far the most heartbreaking sound she ever heard in her life. Loud sobs followed by small whimpers and hiccups. All Leah could decipher was, that it was a female crying and that her wolf was suffering with every sound she heard.
She broke out into a run, following her ears and this strange pull inside her chest. It didn't take long till she came upon a sight she was sure she never would be able to forget. There, between the roots of an old tree was a girl, maybe a year or two younger than herself, curled into a tight ball and crying her heart out.
Without even noticing Leah began whimpering and growling herself. She knelt next to the girl and after a moment of hesitation reached out and cradled her up against her chest. The girl was freezing cold and subconsciously snuggled closer to Leah's warmth.
Leah just leaned against the tree and began rocking the girl in her arms, purring all the time and murmuring soothing words. It took several hours until the loud sobs subsided and the whimpering stopped. Now only a few hiccups could be heard and when those also stopped, Leah couldn't help herself but hold her breath.
Slowly the girl in her arms moved and craned her neck to look at Leah. She had the most mesmerizing chocolate brown eyes and the slight shiver of hope that shone through the hurt and heartbrokenness was enough to send butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.
Leah just couldn't take her eyes of this girl in her arms, a warm and tingling feeling began to form in her chest and all those bitter thoughts she had had earlier flew away.
She cupped the girl's cheek in her left hand, and gently swiped the remaining tears away. Wonder appeared next to the hope, but their eye contact never faltered.
Leah didn't know how long that sat like that, staring each other into the eyes and soul. Only when it started to get dark around them did she noticed how long she had been in the woods. The girl also stirred slightly and for the first time one of them broke the silence when she whispered "Thank you. I don't even know you, but it seems like it doesn't hurt as bad when you are here with me."
"I'm Leah and I'm happy that I could help. You just sounded so utterly heartbroken, that I had no other choice than to follow your cries. Actually I'm quite glad I did. Whether you will believe it or not, you helped me just as much as I helped you."
For a moment the girl stared at her, with her head cocked to one side and then a slight smile appeared on her face.
"I'm Bella. Jake told me about what happened with you and Sam. I guess now I can understand what you must feel like constantly."
All Leah could do not to gape at her with her mouth hanging open was stuttering "J…Jake talked to y…you about me?"
Bella nodded and her genuine smile seemed to widen a bit. It was a truly beautiful sight to see. Then she took a deep breath and said very quietly "He left me you know. I always wanted to believe, that Jake wasn't right and that he really loved me, but I guess I was just a naïve little girl. He took me here and then he told me, that he didn't love me, that I meant nothing to him and that he and his family would be leaving me here. It hurt so much, but then you came and everything became clearer. He lied to me all this time and to think that I wanted to be like him. It just seems so wrong to me now."
Leah just wrapped Bella in her arms when the tears started to fall again. She wasn't entirely sure if she knew just what the girl was talking about, but it didn't matter. A boy hurt her and she knew how terribly that feeling was, she experienced it herself.
"Do you want me to take you home?"
Bella just shook her head and tightened her own grip on Leah. Her wolf roared in pride, his mate had chosen him and didn't want to leave his side. Leah herself wasn't sure what she should do. She wanted to just stay with Bella but it was also pretty late and she was sure that Bella's dad was worried sick about his daughter. Finally an idea popped into her head.
"Would you like me to take you to my home instead? You could call your dad so that he isn't worried and I could keep you at my side."
"I would really like that Leah."
A surge of heat flooded her body when she heard Bella for the first time say her name. But she knew that there was no place for desire right now. So she just swept Bella of her feet, carrying her bridal style and breaking out into a light jog. They were very deep into the forest and she had the deep urge to get Bella out of her wet clothes and safely tucked into her bed next to her.
Bella snuggled her head into the crook of Leah's neck and started caressing the soft skin there with her lips. Leah wasn't sure if the girl was even aware of her actions, because everything else about her body told her, that she was already half asleep.
It took Leah about half an hour to reach her home and there she just leapt up on her windowsill and into her room without having to face Seth and her mother. She wasn't sure how she would explain a half drenched Bella Swan tucked into her arms. She just hoped, that Seth didn't tell their mother that she was home because she was sure she had a nice, long lecture waiting for her.
As carefully as she could Leah pulled the wet clothes off of Bella's body without looking too much and dressing her in one of her own sleep shirts. The girl just mumbled something about wanting to cuddle and warmth, which made Leah smile.
Fate truly came around on her today, because she couldn't imagine a better mate than Bella, even if she had been hurt and surely would take a while to get comfortable with intimacies, but that didn't matter to her. Not when she had her mate safely tucked in her arms and her wolf as calm and relaxed, as he never had been before in her chest.
Before Leah herself drifted to sleep, she buried her nose into Bella's hair and inhaled her sweet honey and flower scent that made her feel whole and happy. With a last content sigh she snuggled even closer to her mate and fell asleep.
